Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1887-03-25
SPEECH
SfEECH
HON. j. B. SOMMERvlLLE,
PARTY ORGANIZATION
MAJORITY RULE,
I'm SecOnding Mr.. Camden's NOmina-
tien for United states senator.

Camden 50 ably and eloquenIly made
! by my friend, The gentleman from Gill
mer. desire to say 10 my distinguished
! friend from the county OF Jefferson,
who has declaimed so eloquently against
! the nomination, that | like himself. have
the honor in my humble way 10 repre-
sent au agricultural section OF The State.
! All that the honorable gentleman has
/ said, aud all that he may say, and all
! that may be said by others here con-
! corning the dignity and Importance OF
agriculture will find a ready response
among the people whom have the honor
To represent. IN all that pertains TO
! this subject, the Northern Panhandle
will always be found ready 20 join
hands with the Eastern Panhandle.
! But sir, we DO not feel called upon TO
assail or attempt TO break down the rail-
road aud other interests OF the State.
We do not belong to that class Of people
who climb the forest trees or HE them
| selves 10 their hiding places in order to
escape the sight or avoid the sound OF
locomotive engine. We believe, sir, that
! if West Virginia has suffered in connec-
ton with the subject OF railroads, it has
! been because we bave not had enough
| many of them. Nor do we believe that
we are superior in intellect, integrity or
| virtue 10 oar fellowmen, an'l that Il mi
| nOrty OF our number, however large,
| respectable or important that minority
! may be, has right 10 dictate policy
/ or party candidate 10 the majority oI
/ our party. \ very large majority oi
/ Tie Democratic members of tnls Legs
| lalure, with unanimlty almost un-
known in the history OF party politics
( in this State, has seen tit in its wisdom,
aud by Tue only method known for the
/ organization aud government of politl-
| cal parties, to place before this joint
assembly IA party nominee for the hlSh
and important office OF United States
| Senator. The very moment that nomi
| nation was mate, the election or defeat
| Of the nuuiIuce ceased To be "a question
| of the personal advancement Or pOlltl-
! cal desligy OF johnson \. Camden ahd
] became al once question OF the pres
| ervatiou OF the Integrity, organization
| and existence of the Democratic party
! IN this State. No one will tell me that
! political parties can be perietCated or
| party organization maintained without
,ne help OF party nominations. In the
very nature of things this must be true.
! Ine parry caucus Is simply the party
council, II part Ut the machinery by
which The policy of the party is shaped
AID the leaders are enabled To carry out
that policy by pre-arranged concert oi
| action.
No party has ever yet sought TO ac-
omplish anything in this State in the
/ ar al in,
first reSOrtIng u some form of caucus,
Tor The purpose Of making nominations
and every gentleman who is here TO day
participating III the proceedings of this
iiInt assembly, Including lis presiding
llicer, l. mere rs the Caucus or conven-
lion nominee of his parry aud owes his
election 10 that fact. Sir, admit the
errors that are sometimes connected
with party caucusns and conventions;
! but, Notwithstanding these errors. no
man, no party and no set OF men, how
ever wi>r, prudent or virIuOuS, have ever
been able To suggest or devise any
hing that will remove the difficulties or
produce better results, and these evils,
100, a:c such is grow OUT Of the abuse
aud perry ersion { the system and not
out of the proper use OF il. And, Sir, |
say 10 the lew Democrats here who AS
sumo 10 themselves an amount OF pollt-
cal integrity and sagacily which enti-
,leS them them To dictate policy and
candidate TO the ma ority Of their party
that there is no place for them within
their party unless they are willing To
come into and be governed by its duly
| organized and constituted councils
However good their intentions may be,
their action il persisted in can have but
one result, and that is the disruption
and final defeat and destruction of their
party i'm this State; and unless they are
prepared to join hands with orr politi-
cal enemies they must either return to the
Democratic fold and gracefully acqni-
esce in the will of the majority, or ac-
complish by indirectjon what | am sure
thew would scorn to do directly. There
was never less excuse for Il bolt than
there is in this case, and no minority
ever had less 10 Justify its course. | do
not feel called upon to assign reasons
for the loyal support of our nominee be-
vond the fact that he was fairly and
honestly nominated. No true Democrat
wants any Other reason. We have no
apology 10 offer to any one for the nom
!
the contrary il is a nomination of which
we are all proud and of which we have
a right to be proud. Our candidate
the candidate of the Democratic party
is il man who is tit TO be United States
Senator. He is our senior Senator now,
aud by his manly, straightforward and
Democratic course he has not only re
f-cted credit upon our State but has
made for himself a reputation which
reaches far beyond the confines of his
State; and boldly affirm here and now,
without the fear of successful contra
diction or refutation from any source,
that in point of honesty, integrity and
political integrity, johnson n. Camden
is the peer of any nun whose name has
been mentioned IN connection with the
/ office of United States Senator. he is
! rich it is true, but no man will under
! take 10 say that he ever acquired one
/ dollar of his wealth by dishonest means,
aud he does not possess a dollar of
wealth that the honorable gentleman
| from the county of Jefferson would not
willingly auG gladly share with him if
! nv any honest means he could do so. 1t
! i charged also that Mr. Camden is
moDopoist, but this | deny and chal-
| lenge the gentleman from Jefferson, or
| any other gentleman. To take his record
rs United States Senator aud point out
4 single vote or Il single act in the Inter
~ of monopoly. That record. sir. will
show that in every instance in which
he rights of the people were involved
| a. against The entertainments of cOrpor-
dSe aud aggregate wealth. johnson y.
Camden has been found with his vote
tnd influence upon the side of the peo-
pie; aud sir, his every act and vote has
shown that he possesses the requisite
qualifications of Je'terSUnirn statesman
>hip-that he Is honest, capable aud
faithful. No man who is not ,lema-
gogue, or whose judgment is not blind
eel by prejudice. or who is not ready 10
raise the red lag of Communism, will
a>>ali or attempt - aSSail Our candidate
on >ucn grounds. But nv friend from
a -l.N